[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2367 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2367

To improve border security through regular assessments and evaluations 
 of the Checkpoint Program Management Office and effective training of 
           U.S. Border Patrol agents regarding drug seizures.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 19, 2023

   Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself and Ms. Sinema) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
               Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To improve border security through regular assessments and evaluations 
 of the Checkpoint Program Management Office and effective training of 
           U.S. Border Patrol agents regarding drug seizures.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Continuing High-quality Evaluations 
of Concerning and Known Persons Of Interest through National Training 
updates Act'' or the ``CHECKPOINT Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVING BORDER SECURITY.

    (a) Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.--
            (1) Triennial assessments and evaluations.--Not less 
        frequently than once every 3 years, the Commissioner of U.S. 
        Customs and Border Protection shall--
                    (A) in consultation with the Office of Intelligence 
                and Analysis, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
                National Targeting Center, and other relevant 
                intelligence or law enforcement components of the 
                Department of Homeland Security, assess the drug type 
                categories available in the U.S. Customs and Border 
                Protection data systems to determine if such categories 
                adequately reflect the drug smuggling scenarios 
                encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
                officers and agents;
                    (B) evaluate the drug seizures portion of the 
                National Field Training Program to ensure proper 
                classification and recording of seized narcotics, such 
                as fentanyl, methamphetamine and counterfeit 
                prescription drugs; and
                    (C) assess the effectiveness of U.S. Customs and 
                Border Protection efforts to combat human smuggling.
            (2) Checkpoint program management office.--The Chief, U.S. 
        Border Patrol shall--
                    (A) update the roles and responsibilities of the 
                Checkpoint Program Management Office and disseminate 
                the updated roles and responsibilities to all of the 
                U.S. Border Patrol agents in each Border Patrol sector; 
                and
                    (B) develop and regularly update the policies and 
                procedures for immigration checkpoint oversight 
                activities of the Checkpoint Program Management Office.
            (3) U.S. border patrol immigration checkpoints.--The Chief, 
        U.S. Border Patrol shall--
                    (A) implement the Border Enforcement Secondary Tool 
                at immigration checkpoints, wherever feasible, or 
                implement any subsequent replacement program; and
                    (B) require that secondary checkpoints use all 
                approved surveillance technologies, whenever feasible, 
                such as adopting license plate readers and installing 
                closed circuit televisions.
    (b) Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.--
The Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, 
shall--
            (1) finalize and implement a plan to regularly evaluate the 
        drug seizures portion of the Post-Academy Program; and
            (2) regularly update the plan materials.
    (c) Assistant Commissioner, Office of Intelligence.--The Assistant 
Commissioner, Office of Intelligence, shall--
            (1) establish the Southern Border Intelligence Center to 
        develop the understanding of the threat in the environment 
        along the international border between the United States and 
        Mexico and report annually to Congress regarding the threat 
        situation along such border;
            (2) increase the capabilities of the CBP Intelligence Watch 
        and the CBP Joint Processing and Operations Center to provide 
        continuous support to combating transnational criminal 
        organizations and submit an annual report to Congress on the 
        status of such efforts;
            (3) develop an intelligence research specialist career 
        path, training requirements, and intelligence enterprise 
        training academy to support border security, counter narcotic, 
        and checkpoint operations; and
            (4) require that all intelligence research specialists are 
        trained to the applicable performance standards and submit an 
        annual report to Congress regarding the status of the 
        intelligence professional workforce.

SEC. 3. ANNUAL REPORT.

    The Chief, U.S. Border Patrol shall submit an annual report to 
Congress that describes the actions undertaken to ensure that--
            (1) the Checkpoint Program Management Office, in 
        coordination with U.S. Border Patrol sectors, is overseeing the 
        consistent and accurate recording of immigration checkpoint 
        activity data, including data regarding--
                    (A) apprehensions at checkpoints, including 
                smuggled people;
                    (B) canine assists with drug seizures;
                    (C) seizures of trace amounts of marijuana;
                    (D) drug seizures, including drug seizures 
                involving fentanyl mixed with another drug and drug 
                seizures of counterfeit drugs;
                    (E) non-drug property seizures; and
                    (F) attempted checkpoint circumventions;
            (2) U.S. Border Patrol uses its data system to document 
        information about all people for whom a checkpoint encounter 
        leads to a subsequent enforcement action; and
            (3) the Checkpoint Program Management Office--
                    (A) receives sustained oversight from the Office of 
                the Chief, U.S. Border Patrol;
                    (B) is held accountable for implementing its 
                checkpoint oversight responsibilities; and
                    (C) is consistently and adequately staffed.
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